One factor that sets the Queensland Mining Awards apart from other industry recognition programs is the public and active participation of its high-calibre judging panel. As the Awards celebrate their 12th year, the panel once again draws from across the resources sector, with five senior industry executives committing their time and expertise to a rigorous, peer-reviewed process that reflects the program’s commitment to genuine, transparent recognition.
The QMA judges volunteer their time to review every entry across the Awards’ eight categories, applying their considerable experience to identify true innovation, strong operational outcomes and the developments shaping the future of Queensland’s mining sector.
QMA’s judging panel for 2026 includes:
- Darren Oliver, Group Manager Procurement, Glencore
- Dr Sharna Glover, Chief Executive Officer, Imvelo (Innovation categories)
- Jason Economidis, Managing Director, AURA Mining
- Dan Iliffe, Regional General Manager – Queensland, Whitehaven Coal
- Luiz Sapucaia, General Manager Supply, Stanmore Resources
Bowen Basin Mining Club Director Jodie Currie said the peer judging process continues to deliver meaningful value for entrants.
“The opportunity to have your submission reviewed by this calibre of industry influencer is one of the most valuable aspects of entering the Awards. Every entrant receives feedback, but for finalists it goes well beyond that – these judges have read and genuinely understood why your innovation matters to the sector. How often do you get to present directly to senior executives who have taken the time to engage with the specifics of your work?” said Ms Currie.
With expertise spanning procurement, supply, technology and innovation, operations and mine management, the panel collectively brings decades of hands-on experience. This year, Dr Sharna Glover will apply her depth of knowledge in autonomous operations and industrial technology to the program’s three innovation categories: Innovation (METS), Innovation (Miner) and Best New Technology – a category introduced in 2026 to reflect the increasing role of technology in driving Queensland mining forward.
Jason Economidis, Managing Director, AURA Mining, brings close to four decades of experience in the coal industry to the panel, having held senior leadership roles at South32, Orica, Peabody, Vale and BHP. His operational perspective, from underground mining through to executive leadership, gives him a well-rounded view of what meaningful progress looks like at every level of the industry.
“The Queensland Mining Awards consistently spotlights work that deserves to be seen by the broader industry. What makes the judging process worthwhile is that every entry is taken seriously – the discussion around the table is always robust, and the range of approaches people bring to similar problems is genuinely impressive. Recognising that work at the Gala Presentation is the reward at the end of it.” said Mr Economidis.
Online entries for the Awards are open until Friday 24 April, and are open to all resources businesses operating or supplying into Queensland. Entries are submitted via the Judgify platform at www.judgify.me/QMA2026.
The Gala Awards Presentation Dinner will be held during the Queensland Mining and Engineering Exhibition (QME) on Wednesday 22 July 2026 in Mackay. Dinner tickets go on sale Monday 30 March.
INTRODUCING THE JUDGING PANEL
DARREN OLIVER
Group Manager Procurement, Glencore
Darren Oliver is Group Manager Procurement for Glencore Coal Assets Australia, one of the world’s largest global diversified natural resource companies and a major producer and marketer of more than 60 commodities. Darren has over 30 years’ experience in the mining industry, in both commercial and procurement roles. Prior to the merger of Glencore and Xstrata in 2013, Darren held various procurement roles within the group, including Group Manager Global Procurement for Xstrata Coal, and Group Supply Manager for the Oakbridge Group, which is now a subsidiary of Glencore Coal.
In his current role, Darren is responsible for the planning, development, execution and management of procurement and contract strategies for major commodities and services for Glencore’s Australian coal business.
DR SHARNA GLOVER
Chief Executive Officer, Imvelo (Innovation categories)
Sharna is the co-founder and CEO of Imvelo. She is an experienced executive leader with a twenty-year track record of successfully leading step-change technology programs. Sharna is experienced and passionate about delivering significant improvement to safety and productivity in all resource sectors through embedding technology within business plans. Sharna was most recently the Program Director of BHP’s Autonomous Operations Program, which is developing the next generation in robotics and precision resource extraction for the mining industry.
Sharna holds a first-class double degree in Chemical Engineering and Science, as well as a PhD in Engineering. She is an Industry Leader Representative of Australia’s Space Agency, the co-chair of Queensland Robotics Cluster, and is an Advisory Board Member at the University of Queensland Chemical Engineering School.
JASON ECONOMIDIS
Managing Director, AURA Mining
Jason is an experienced mining executive who began his career as an underground miner and has spent nearly four decades in the coal industry. He brings a broad operational perspective to the judging panel, having held senior leadership roles at South32, Orica, Peabody, Vale and BHP across Queensland and beyond.
At South32, Jason served as Chief Operating Officer for Australia, with accountability across the company’s manganese, alumina and metallurgical coal operations. He subsequently led the transition of Illawarra Metallurgical Coal to new ownership before joining AURA Mining as Managing Director. Jason holds a Master of Business Administration (Executive) from the Australian Graduate School of Management.
LUIZ SAPUCAIA
General Manager Supply, Stanmore Resources
Luiz Sapucaia has more than 20 years’ experience in supply and logistics in the mining, oil and gas industries across Australia, Africa and Brazil. He brings extensive experience to his current role as General Manager Supply, having led high-performing teams and managed cross-functional operations globally.
Throughout his career, Mr Sapucaia has held various leadership positions with Origin Energy, South32 and Vale, where he led transformation and organisational restructure projects. His experience also extends to global operational and corporate roles in procurement, category management, logistics, working capital management, business performance and commercial.
Mr Sapucaia is an electrical engineer and holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance from Instituto Brasileiro de Mercado de Capitais (IBMEC), and a Bachelor of Electrical and Production Engineering from the University of Industrial Engineering in Brazil.
DAN ILIFFE
Regional General Manager – Queensland, Whitehaven Coal
Dan Iliffe joined Whitehaven in 2024 as the company’s inaugural Regional General Manager Operations – Queensland, following its acquisition of the Blackwater and Daunia mines from BMA. Dan is responsible for overseeing operations at both mines, as well as Whitehaven’s Remote Operating Centre at its Brisbane office.
Dan has a wealth of experience in the resources industry, having held leadership positions at several mines in the Bowen Basin throughout his 25-year career including Anglo American’s Dawson mine and BMA’s Blackwater, Saraji and Caval Ridge mines.